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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24746944">Put Our Service to the Test</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarrysLightningRod/pseuds/BarrysLightningRod'>BarrysLightningRod</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Flash (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Prompt Response</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:47:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24746944</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarrysLightningRod/pseuds/BarrysLightningRod</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wally advises his newlywed sister to tone down the PDA with Barry.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barry Allen/Iris West</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>96</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Put Our Service to the Test</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Stop thinking about him,” Wally commands, interrupting Iris’s pleasant thoughts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hmmm?” Iris breaks out of her trance. “Thinking about who?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your husband,” Wally rebukes. “Don’t play stupid.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who says I was thinking about Barry?” Iris retaliates, but the giggle his name prompts betrays her. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let’s see...” Wally makes a show of contemplation, though he gestures to the whole avocados she was supposed to slice to make guacamole for the movie night she and Barry were hosting at their loft. “I left to get you chips, ice, paper plates, AND made a pit stop at Big Belly for fuel and you’re still standing there, staring ahead and daydreaming.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re a speedster, Wally, you don’t experience time like I do.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“…I’ve been back for fifteen minutes, in YOUR time,” he clarifies. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh fine!” Iris confesses. “So what if I was thinking about Barry?” She giggles again, unable to help it. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wally sighs deeply and leans against the kitchen island to face her pointedly. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I guess it’s my job to tell you this, being your brother and all.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tell me what?” Iris probes. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Iris,” he starts, “You and Barry-are insufferable.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?!” Iris exclaims, offended by this statement. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re insufferable!” he repeats. “You’re always touching, and holding hands, and <em>kissing</em>…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And?” Iris questions. “That’s supposed to be a bad thing?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It is when you subject the rest of us to it ALL THE TIME!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The rest of us?!” Iris quizzes.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Look, we get it, you’re still in the Honeymoon Phase and all that, but you guys literally forget when others are in the room with you!” Wally says desperately. “Why do you think no one’s been coming around to hang out with you two as much?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Because…they want to respect that we’re still newlyweds?” Iris tries. “And give us more time to ourselves?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can assure you that nobody thinks you guys need anymore time alone together,” Wally chuckles darkly to himself before straightening up. “Look, it took a lot of convincing on my part to get Cisco, Caitlin, and Linda to agree to come today. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to come!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris considers her brother’s words with newfound concern. Suddenly, she views many of their friends’ last minute cancellations on plans they had made together over the last few weeks in a different light. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you serious?” she worries aloud. “What should I do?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t do anything!” Wally insists desperately, taking Iris by her shoulders. “You and Barry, literally just don’t do anything besides be the good hosts and entertainers you are-without the PDA. Okay?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay,” Iris nods with determination, more to herself than to him. “Okay yeah, we can do that.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe <em>you</em> can,” Wally mutters as he lets go of her, “But Barry…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A little over an hour later, the kitchen island is adorned with bowls of snacks (including the delayed guacamole), boxes of pizza, and bottles of beer, surrounded by Cisco, Caitlin, and Linda helping themselves. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris watches them nervously from the living room, twiddling her thumbs. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’ll do great, Sis,” Wally assures her, elbowing her playfully. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Her subsequent smile disappears promptly when the door swings open and Barry strolls in, grinning broadly, a box in his hands. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hi Guys!” he greets, kicking his shoes off. “Thanks for waiting up on me, I had some tests I had to finish running at the precinct.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, Barry,” everyone waves back lazily, preoccupied with their plates. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris glances at Wally who nods at her encouragingly. She straightens up and strides over to Barry. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The beam that her husband breaks into when he sees her is so sweet that her heart swells in her chest, but her resolve remains. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Well hello there, Mrs. West-Allen,” Barry croons, bending down to kiss her-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris distracts him by swiftly taking the box out of his hands, leaving him mid-pucker. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What’s this?” she asks, turning away toward the kitchen before she gives herself a chance to cave in to him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wally stifles a laugh at the confusion Barry wears, certain that was probably the first time since their wedding that he’d come home without kissing Iris. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uhh, I thought I’d stop at that new bakery you like a few blocks down and pick up some brownies for dessert…” Barry replies, still noticeably taken aback by what had ensued. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Awww, thank you, Hon-Barry,” Iris stops herself. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Cisco lowers the bottle of beer from his lips, narrowed eyes shifting between Barry and Iris. Linda stops chewing her pizza crust. Caitlin raises her brows.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This is unnoticed by Iris whose attention remains on Barry, his face dumbfounded. She’s suddenly anxious she’s hurting his feelings. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Let me fix you a plate?” she offers, hoping to convey that she isn’t mad at him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, okay,” Barry manages, scratching his head. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris loads his plate with plenty of pizza slices and piles of chips, knowing his metabolism called for it and wanting him to feel cared for. She hands him the plate of food which he accepts gingerly, smiling broadly at her in gratitude before he tries his chance at another kiss. Iris realizes too late what his intentions are, and panicking, dodges him for a second time to make her way to the living room.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry actually drops his plate in shock at being rejected twice, his food tumbling toward the floor, saved only by Wally’s quick motions. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You alright there, Bear?” Wally asks innocently, biting back his urge to burst into laughter at what he had caused. He punches his brother-in-law lightly to shake him out of his stupor, as his gaze is fixed on Iris, now busying herself with adjusting the sound settings on the TV. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m-fine,” Barry stutters, eyes unable to leave his wife. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Relax, my man,” Wally placates, taking advantage of Barry’s astonished expression to stuff a slice of pizza in his mouth. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shall we start?” Iris announces with forced cheer, clapping her hands together, looking around at everyone but Barry. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The tension in the air isn’t lost on Caitlin, Cisco, and Linda who slowly slide off their bar stools and head to the living room, Cisco taking a little bit longer to ensure he had absolutely chugged down every last bit of his beer. Barry abandons his food (and hunger) to follow suit with Wally chortling behind him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris plops on the couch, eager to diffuse the uneasiness by proceeding to the actual reason everyone was here: the movie. Barry cautiously joins her. The awkward shuffling around the room isn’t lost on Iris, and she can discern that her guests are unsure about where to sit. Wally jumps into the large armchair that he’s claimed ever since his sister and Barry moved into the loft. Cisco and Caitlin each take a recliner seat while Linda settles on the floor. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Linda,” Iris voices with concern, “Why don’t you come sit by us?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Linda looks visibly uncomfortable at the suggestion before flashing a quick smile. “Oh don’t worry about me, I’m totally fine where I am.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris frowns. “But Barry and I have so much room-“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And I’m sure you’re going to need it!” Cisco coughs not quite so discreetly. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It dawns on Iris why nobody wants to sit next to them the same time Barry casually slides his arm around her shoulder and leans over in another attempt at a kiss-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She stands abruptly, causing Barry to topple over. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Linda, sit on the couch with Barry,” Iris insists. “I’ll sit on the floor.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Wally almost considers using his phone to snap a quick photo of the resulting shock on everyone’s faces at this, just so he could later analyze it to determine whose expression was the funniest. After all, no one would notice that he’d managed to take a picture except Barry, and even he might not take heed considering he’s recovering from his own shock. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are-are you sure?” Linda stammers. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Not another word,” Iris states, stretching across the floor and pointing the remote at the television screen, aiming to start the movie as soon as possible to distract from the events that had just occurred. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">About halfway through, Iris needs to use the bathroom, a consequence of her coffee addiction that she’s no stranger to. She rolls over and clumsily stands to leave the room, not wanting to interrupt the showing. She figures she’d try to make up for all the times she was oblivious to how excessively affectionate she and Barry had been. The least she could do after subjecting her friends to that over and over again is <em>not</em> request that they pause the film for her. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Truth be told, she’s grateful for the little break. Not only was the guilt at avoiding Barry weighing on her, preventing her from authentically letting loose and relaxing all evening, she was also tired by the effort it took to resist him. How could she feel <em>such</em> an ache to kiss, touch, and be next to him in under an hour? Atop the toilet, she ponders the meaning of this and muses that perhaps she and Barry are truly clingy and insufferable. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris finishes and washes her hands, bracing to once more pretend she isn’t deeply affected by being forced to dismiss Barry- </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The last thing she expects at opening the door is for Barry to stumble into the bathroom, seize her face, and kiss her so fiercely that she actually trips backward against the sink. She manages to find her footing enough to reciprocate his enthusiasm, her arms coming around to circle him and anchor herself. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Neither of them seem to want to surface and only finally do so when they absolutely have to for air. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thank God,” Barry huffs, his arms refusing to let go of her. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can say that again,” Iris pants, relieved beyond measure at having closed the distance between the two of them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What-what was up with <em>that</em>?” Barry exclaims. “You’ve been steering clear of me all night. Are you mad at me?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Iris strokes his face. “Oh, Baby-not even close. I’m so sorry, I can explain-“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You know what? I don’t even wanna hear it,” Barry grins. “Just kiss me right now, it’s been ages.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And kiss him she does, keenly and happily, his lips and his proximity coaxing her to relax at last. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ahem.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The two of them break apart to discover Wally, Linda, Caitlin, and Cisco piled at the doorframe, wearing nearly identical expressions of exasperation. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh-did we interrupt?” Cisco sasses.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just like how you two interrupted our movie?” Caitlin quips. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Linda sighs: “I knew once he asked us to pause it that he wasn’t going to come back…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Really guys?” Wally gripes. “You couldn’t last <em>an hour</em>?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, no one is stopping you from watching your movie,” Iris shoots back. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, so in the spirit of the good hosts that we are, <em>be our guests</em>,” Barry cackles. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With a laugh, Barry and Iris slam the bathroom door shut and spend the rest of the night accounting for their lost hour together. </span>
</p>
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